“Shut up!” Mike barked, his face red. “Take that off! It will never suit you!” He yanked the dress so violently the seams popped, my skin burning where the fabric scraped me raw. I stumbled, clutching the torn silk, feeling more naked than I’d ever been.
“Look what you’ve done!” Mike snarled. “It’s ruined. Sasha can’t wear this now—it’s trash, just like you!” He flung the dress at my face.
Nico tossed his platinum card at my feet. “Go find her the same dress. Don’t even think about coming back until you do.”
Tears blurred my vision. “That’s impossible. It’s a limited edition—”
Mike smirked, stepping closer. “Exactly. So don’t ever come back, you useless waste of space.”
They left me there, clutching the shredded silk to my chest like it could hold me together. I heard the patter of tiny feet behind me.
“Grandma!” my granddaughter Micah yelled, slamming her bottle onto the floor. Milk splashed across the polished wood. “This doesn’t taste good! Make me another one!” She scowled like a tiny queen scolding her worthless servant.
The humiliation lodged in my throat like a shard of glass. “I’m not your maid, Micah. Ask your father.”